


Hung With Care

by Politzania



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Giving from the Heart, Holiday Traditions, Homemade Gifts, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:28:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28176912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Politzania/pseuds/Politzania
Summary: Bucky and Steve recall a holiday tradition from their childhood and include Tony in the celebration.STB Bingo: Stockings — Stucky Bingo: Family
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 13
Kudos: 76
Collections: STB Bingo: Round One, Stucky Bingo 2020





	Hung With Care

**Author's Note:**

> Title: Hung with Care  
> Creator(s): PoliZ  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28176912  
> STB Square filled: N2 - Stockings  
> Stucky Bingo Card number: 020  
> Stucky Bingo Square filled: B2 - Family  
> Rating: General  
> Archive warnings: none  
> Major tags: Holiday fluff, Stuckony poly triad, Tony POV  
> Summary: Bucky and Steve recall a holiday tradition from their childhood and include Tony in the celebration.  
> Word count: 1310

Tony stopped in his tracks as he entered the living room of the penthouse, gaping at the three bright red and suspiciously lumpy stockings hanging from the mantle of the fireplace. “Those weren’t there when I left this morning.”

“Nope,” Bucky replied, popping the P cheerfully. “Stevie and me just got them put up.” 

“I thought we weren’t doing gifts for one another.” Tony stated, wondering if he’d somehow misunderstood the agreed-upon restriction.

“We’re not, well, not really.” Steve chipped in, wiping his hands as he came in from the kitchen. “It started a few weeks ago, when Buck and I got to talking about our Christmas memories. Turns out the stockings were one of the things he remembered best. Especially the --” 

“Shhh! Don’t spoil the surprise!” Bucky interrupted. “And no peeking til Christmas morning. Friday will keep us honest, won’t you?” 

“Indeed, I will.” 

* * *

“Hold it right there, Boss.” 

“C’mon Fri!” For once Tony was actually innocent of suspicious doings. “I swear I’m not gonna look in my own stocking. I’ve got something I want to put in each of theirs.” He held up small boxes. “You know how hard I worked on them - I was in the workshop all day.” 

“Dum-E can do it for you,” she answered sternly. 

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “The same ‘bot that still puts motor oil in my smoothie if I’m not looking?” 

“Yes. He’s already on his way up.” The elevator dinged, and when the doors opened, Dum-E wheeled out beeping excitedly and holding out an eager claw. “Leave the gifts on the coffee table, Boss. We’ll take it from here. Now, go get some sleep.” 

* * *

Tony awoke Christmas morning to the scent of excellent coffee and cinnamon rolls; Steve must’ve stopped by their favorite cafe while out on his morning run. Opening one eye, Tony drank in the sight of Bucky, shirtless and still damp from his shower, scrubbing a towel over his head. Steve, on the other hand, was already dressed in a bright red hoodie and green plaid lounge pants. “Whichever of you brings me breakfast in bed will be my new favorite,” he mumbled into his pillow. 

“Rise and shine, darlin’,” Bucky replied, sounding entirely too awake. ‘We’ve got stockings t’ open.” 

“Carry me?” Tony should have known better than to make the suggestion even as a joke; Bucky unceremoniously bundled him into a blanket and tossed Tony over his shoulder. “Steve! Help! I’m being manhandled!” he squawked, voice partly muffled by the fabric. 

“You did ask for it, sweetheart,” Steve replied mildly, as he lead the way to the living room. He grunted softly as Bucky deposited Tony in his lap before curling up next to them both. The stockings were laid out on the coffee table before them. “We’ll take turns pulling stuff out - you go first, Tony.” 

“Okay.” Tony snaked one arm out from under the blanket and retrieved an item from his stocking. He unrolled the scroll of paper to reveal a sketch of Dum-E. Steve had somehow captured the bot’s sense of curiosity and excitable nature in just a few simple lines. “This is lovely, thank you.” He kissed Steve on the cheek. “I’ll get this framed for the workshop.” 

“You’re welcome. Buck, you’re next.” Bucky had a sketch as well; a young, dark haired woman was the subject, wearing a familiar -- no, make that ‘familial’ -- smile. 

“Becca,” Bucky breathed, a cautious finger tracing over the pencil lines. He’d been heartbroken to learn that his sister had passed away only a few years previous; but had declined Tony’s offer to put him in touch with his nieces and nephews, at least for now. 

Steve nodded, an impossibly fond look on his face. “Friday helped me track down her high school graduation photo.”

“Thanks, punk.” Bucky’s smile wobbled a little as he leaned in to kiss Steve, and his eyes were bright as he pushed the last stocking over towards him. Steve’s first item turned out to be a knitted cap - blue with a red brim and a slightly lopsided white star. 

“Did you make this, Buck?” he asked, his voice full of wonder. 

“Yeah. Your ma taught me, didn’t she?” 

It was Steve’s turn to get a little misty-eyed. “She taught us both - though I never had the patience for anything that required counting stitches. Thank you.” He pulled Bucky towards him for a soft kiss. 

A twinge of jealousy curled up Tony’s spine, but he quickly quashed it. Bucky and Steve kept proving to him in a myriad of ways that they loved him as deeply and truly as they loved one another; including him in this stocking exchange was just one more example. 

“My turn again?” he asked, and when they both nodded, Tony reached into his stocking to find a soft cylindrical package. When he tore open the tissue paper, he discovered a scarf. It was made of soft grey yarn flecked with black and white, with Cap’s shield on one end and Bucky’s star on the other. “This is gorgeous, sweetheart! Now c’mere for your thank-you kiss!” 

Bucky grinned and did as he was told before diving back into his stocking. Tony was relieved to see a familiar red and gold package. “That’s from me,” he said eagerly. “I wasn’t about to let you two have all the fun. Steve, you’ve got one too. Why don’t you open them together?” 

Almost in unison, Steve and Bucky took off the lids of their respective boxes to reveal a set each of shining dog tags. “They’re replicas, of course,” Tony explained quickly. “The Smithsonian has yours, Cap and well...” he glanced at Bucky and shrugged, trailing off uncomfortably. “But take a closer look.” 

“I’ve got one of yours, Buck,” Steve breathed. 

“Same here, pal.” Bucky replied in a hushed tone, then flicked the edge of one with a metal finger and thumb. “But these ain’t exactly army issue, are they, dark eyes?” 

“I made them,” Tony admitted. “Did a set for myself, too. I’ll put them on here in a moment.” 

“Aren’t you going to tell them what you made them from, Boss?” Friday asked archly.

Tony’s cheeks reddened. “They’re bits of my old armor. So, you know, it’s like you’ll have a piece of me with you.” 

Steve’s voice shook just a little as he replied, “What a perfect gift, sweetheart.” Bucky nodded in agreement, his eyes shining bright once again. They enveloped Tony in a long, tender embrace. 

“I don’t think you’re quite done,” Friday broke in. 

“That’s right -- we haven’t gotten to what used to be my favorite part!” Bucky reached out and grabbed all three stockings. “The oranges and peppermint sticks!” 

“The what?” Tony replied, nonplussed. 

“Oranges were pretty hard to come by when we were growing up,” Steve explained, “so they were a special treat. And if you stick a soft peppermint stick in it, you can suck the juice right out!” 

Tony watched in mild confusion as Bucky demonstrated - rolling the orange between his hands for a minute or so before cutting a small X through the skin with one of the knives he always had on him. He took one of the sticks out of the package, poked it through the hole he’d just made and handed it to Tony. “Bottoms up, darlin’. You’re gonha have to suck hard at first.” 

“That’s what he said,” Steve commented as he handed his own orange over to Bucky to perform surgery on. Tony snorted in reply; he loved it when Captain America made off color jokes. 

It was a unique flavor sensation, Tony had to admit, but seeing the faces of his boyfriends as they re-enacted a memory from childhood made it all worthwhile. He couldn’t be happier to be enjoying the first of what he hoped would be many more holidays with them both.

**Author's Note:**

> I’d never tried the orange and peppermint stick combo before deciding to use the idea in this story - I liked it better than Tony did, but am not sure it will become a holiday tradition. 😁


End file.
